Grozny and Baghdad are the continuation of Dillie and Lucknow in 1857. The White powers continue to think of a world divided in terms of “we and they.” Asiatics figure as less than human and Muslims continue as a synonym for terrorists.

Perhaps it is time to suggest that the life and times of “Badshah,” “Fakhre Afghan,” “Frontier Gandhi” and “Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan” should be made compulsory reading in the chanceries of the world. This apostle of non-violence endured a lifetime of suffering for his principles along with his family. The Khan’s son, Wali Khan spent some time in London studying the papers of British rulers of India such as Viceroys and Secretaries of State and wrote a book called Facts Are Facts in Pushto.

His wife Nasim transliterated it into Urdu and Saiyada Syed Hamid rendered it into English. It was published in 1987 and is now out of print. Wali Khan writes, “….the Viceroy sent a weekly report to the Secretary of State and the Secretary responded…through a weekly courier..”

“What I discovered…was far beyond expectations…I found detailed analysis of the internal affairs of India.”

“I had never really believed…my elders who accused the British of using the most underhand tactics to promote their policies...”

“But never could I imagine that their allegations were a pale reflection of the truth, the truth was much uglier.”

“Their mischief exceeded our wildest imaginations. Badshah Khan’s and the (Indian National) Congress’ allegations were far short of the truth. If there was the slightest doubt earlier, it was removed because the documents preserved in the archives bore the official British seal…. signed by no less than the Viceroy and the Secretary of State for India.” Wali Khan cites the Partition of Bengal 1905, the Minto-Morley Reforms 1909 and the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms as the devices used by the British to mire nascent India democracy in communalism. The ‘Reforms’ decreed that Muslim votes could only be cast for Muslims and Hindu votes for Hindus.

“In this manner,” records Wali Khan, “the British laid communalism as the foundation stone of Indian democracy.”

“By proposing a communal rather than a national base for politics, they forced the Hindus and Muslims into a position whereby if they wanted to enter municipal or community politics, their electioneering was limited to wooing their religious brethren, and fighting on religious rather than national issues.”

Wali Khan uses the Khilafat movement records to show how the British used their Indian pawns to counter national moves for unity and freedom.

During the World War I (1914-1918) a prime British objective was to wipe out the Ottoman Empire and replace the Sultan of Turkey with puppets. This pattern had worked in India. Maulana Muhammad Ali and Mahatma Gandhi saw through this game and jointly started the Khilafat movement. The Khilafat Committee asked Hindus and Muslims to return all British titles and to resign from any official position they may hold in the police, the army or the civilian wing of the administration.   

The British responded by having their puppets amongst the Muslims allege that the above demands of the Khilafat Committee were a Hindu ploy to eliminate all chances of Muslim advancement by getting them out of scarce government jobs.

On May 22, 1920 His Exalted Highness, the Nizam of Hyderabad issued a ‘firman,’ which declared that since the Khilafat movement was anti-Muslim it would henceforth be considered illegal!  Another ‘loyal’ Muslim, Sir Muhammad Shafi gave advice that special efforts needed to be made to lure away Muslims and this could be done by the British making peace with Turkey and organising an Anglo-Muhammadan Union to cater to the needs of the British Empire.

By September 21, 1922, the Viceroy Reading could report to the secretary of state, “My telegram will show you how near we have been to a complete break between Muslims and Hindus.” “I have been giving the greatest attention to this possibility, and I have had the greatest assistance from Shafi on my council who is a highly respectable Muhammadan.”

We shall, in future columns, show how “highly respectable” toadies Muslim, Hindu and Sikh behaved during the struggle for freedom.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: The egg is one of God’s perfect creations, its hard shell nurturing and bringing forth life. Farha Sayeed, a talented artist from Hyderabad who is living in Jeddah with her diplomat husband, is bringing eggs to life as beautiful and intricate works of art.

From simple folk craft to the bejewelled eggs created for Russian royalty by the House of Faberge, decorating eggs is an art form that spans cultures around the globe. For Farha, working with eggs is a passion, and through intricate carving and painting she finds a medium of self-expression that awes viewers with its beauty and detail.

Her life with husband Dr Ausaf Sayeed, the Indian consul general in Jeddah, has been particularly well-suited to develop her art, as her travels doing the diplomatic business of India have exposed her to a variety of traditions and styles of egg design which she has combined to make her own unique creations. “I had been doing a lot of different arts,” she said. “I’ve done charcoal painting, aluminium foil work, glass painting and tile painting. Since I’ve always been fond of learning, when I came across egg art, I thought ‘Why not learn it.’”

Farha’s first lesson in egg art was in Qatar. “There was a lady who got me interested in this medium,” she said. “She taught me the basics: how to harden the egg, how to cut it, varnish it and disinfect it.” For a mother of three, it was a perfect diversion. “I started this as a hobby,” she said. “The best thing about it is that there’s no need to rush. If I am not in the mood, I just leave it. But that is not the case with silk painting. You have to finish that in one sitting. With eggs, you can withdraw at any point. You can leave it for months.”

Each egg is intricately cut, carved and decorated by hand with pearls, beads, brocade, velvet, satin and rhinestone chains, making each piece one of a kind. Just like some sculptors say the figure is already in the stone and it is up to the artists to bring it out, Farha, who works with a variety of different eggs, says each one has its own unique characteristics.

“An emu egg has three different layers to it,” she said. “When you scrape the outer layer, a light blue layer reveals itself. If you scrape a little deeper there is the white layer. It has a very shiny effect. Ostrich eggs are very difficult to work on because if you want to cut them you have to exert real pressure. Chances of breaking the egg shells are very high. Ostrich eggs are the biggest in size followed by common rhea eggs. I usually use varnish to give the eggshells a shiny lustre, but I don’t have to use varnish with rhea eggs. They are naturally shiny,” said Farha.

Much like the famous eggs of the House of Faberge, each of Farha’s creations is a unique treasure, some with little doors or opening panels cleverly carved into them. When the couple was posted to Copenhagen, Denmark, Farha’s egg art took flight and carried her to new heights of artistic acclaim when she came out of her shell and displayed a bevy of her own designs. For other members of the diplomatic community, the exhibit was amazing.  “Harsh Bhasin, the Indian ambassador to Denmark, said that he knew of only two eggs — fried and hard-boiled,” Farha said, smiling. “He was surprised to see the egg art. To him it was mind-boggling.”

The South African ambassador was surprised too. “In South Africa painted eggs are very common, but they seldom have multiple openings or carvings on the eggshell,” Farha said. What was amazing to them was the beauty and variety of the display. “I try different themes, such as an Indian bride sitting in a palanquin. Also each egg has its own name,” she said. “One is known as Nirvana; then there is the Hummingbird. There is Lovers (it has a heart opening) with a seashell stand. The most popular was Treasure Chest. It sold out the first day of the exhibition in Denmark last year.”

There is one egg, however, that might be called her piece de resistance. This magnificent creation is called Queen’s Coach. “The Crown Prince of Denmark was getting married. There was an air of celebration in Copenhagen,” Farha said. “Streets were being decorated. That inspired me to make a royal coach out of an ostrich egg. I did everything in one piece.”
No detail is overlooked, and even the egg’s stand forms part of the artwork. “I am always on the lookout for some great offbeat stands,” Farha said. “I’ve even made some of them out of seashells. When I am shopping, it is always at the back of my mind. Some of the most precious stands have been ordered from England.”

Keeping a stock of eggs also presents a challenge for Farha and her husband. “We order eggs over the Internet,” she explained. “Emu and rhea eggs are ordered from Texas, Australia and New Zealand. We order ostrich eggs from England and goose eggs from a farmhouse in Denmark. The ones that come from the farmhouse have to be emptied. That is a very cumbersome procedure. The most delicate ones are the pigeon and duck eggs. These come in different colours. Duck eggs, for example, are greenish blue in colour. I use a lot of goose eggs. They are smaller in size and easier to handle, and they’re easily available as well.”

As Farha, her husband and three sons settle into life in Saudi Arabia, it is likely her art will pick up some new influences. “Inshallah, next year I will make my art public here. I have started bringing Arabian culture and Islamic themes into my designs. It is a joy to reflect my new surroundings in my work,” she said.

When an art lover becomes enamoured with one of her creations, it is a special treat for Farha. “My egg, Musicality, has a violin in it,” she said. “A 75-year-old Indian man in Copenhagen wanted to give something rare to his fiancee. One particular creation at the exhibition took his fancy, and he immediately ordered it.”

India is finally on the fashion map. No, not because Ashish Soni was a part of New York Fashion Week or Manish Arora was a hit in London but because Tarun Tahiliani has finally broken the glass ceiling and made a mark in Italy. Confirms the dapper 40-year-old, Fabio Marangoni president of Istituto Marangoni, a fashion school, in Milan. “Tarun’s tees sell for 390 euros each and within two hours almost 200 were sold. Tarun has created waves but it is also a dangerous trend as many designers find it tough to sustain the hype,” says Fabio.  

In the capital for Festa Italiana 2005, Fabio unlike most Italians knows quite a bit about Indian fashion. After all, the bohemian look inspired by Goa (psychedelic colours and carefree fits), is fast gaining popularity in the West, but this is not enough. “India still lacks quality, that is why you see design houses such as Lesage or a Fendi using the country as a sourcing ground. The final product is always finished back home,” says Fabio.

Talking about finishing, Fabio asserts that Italians are far superior to their French counterparts in not just design, marketing but also fabrics and this is why more French labels are today being manufactured in Italy. “I think the French are lagging behind because it’s not enough to be just creative. To survive you must be market specific. Dressing celebrities cannot swing your balance sheet, a label will grow only when it reaches out to the common man. And we at Marangoni aim to impart theoretical knowledge with a practical approach,” says Fabio.

Istituto Marangoni was started by Fabio’s grandfather, a tailor, in 1935. Only after the fashion revolution in the 1960s did the school take shape of a full-fledged fashion school. And today the Istituto Marangoni has alumni like Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino. The institute boasts of 100 trained professors and courses like brand management, marketing, promotion as well as fashion design. But all this doesn’t come cheap as the cost of a course starts at 10,000 euros per year.

Sensing the need of the market, Fabio has launched a course in fashion styling. “Stylists are people who give strength to a collection by enhancing the brand image. They help you communicate better with the buyers. Plus, I have witnessed the death of haute couture the world over and seeing that the importance of stylists increases further as they position your brand intelligently,” says Fabio.

Like most market savvy Italians, Fabio believes that many designers no longer waste too much time and energy on haute couture. Rather they prefer to opt for luxury pret a porter that gives them better returns. After 22-years in the business of creating designers who rule the world today with their grit and ingenuity, Fabio after the success of his school in London, is now looking at opening a branch in Paris by the end of 2006. India is not on his radar at the moment as Fabio believes that European sensibilities don’t fit in the Indian milieu.

While he is in the country, Fabio hopes to visit the city that he has been longing for. “Ladakh is not a place a European would generally go to but I like the mountains. The idea of space and height relaxes me. My only recreation for years has been travel and historical places like India recharge my overworked mind. I dreamt of seeing this beautiful country since I was 10 and finally at 40, I get to fulfil a long cherished desire,” says Fabio.

Manoj Bohra as Prem in Kasautii Zindagi Kay is the current favourite among youngsters. He carries off the mean, wicked guy image rather well. “It’s not a deliberate effort to do only negative roles but I like playing different characters,” he says. His hip-hop look in the show has also become quite a rage. “I worked hard to get my look and body language right. I have been inspired by Johnny Depp’s character in Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Amit Tandon dies in Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai
Amit Tandon aka Prithvi in Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai is out of the show. According to sources, Amit’s character will die in the following episodes and he will give way to Angad and Kripa’s marriage. What is not known yet is whether he will be brought back at a later stage, like in most Ekta shows, or is he out for good. But what’s confirmed is Amit’s grand entry in Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi as one of Tulsi’s grandsons in the generation leap that will be shown in January.

Will Varun’s wish come true?
The winning couple in Nach Baliye is rumoured to take home a huge packet of Rs 50 lakhs and the choreographers will get Rs 20 lakhs. This is no small amount and the three couples in the contest (at the time of going to print), Supriya-Sachin, Varun Badola-Rajeshwari and Poonam-Manish Goel, are working really hard to win. We hear Varun Badola wanted to opt out of Aruna Irani’s Rabba Ishq Na Hoye on Zee TV so that he could concentrate only on Nach Baliye rehearsals and emerge the winner. Well, by Sunday, only two couples will remain in the fray. The grand finale has been set for December 15.

True ya false

Malicious rumours haunt Anuj Saxena
Anuj Saxena, Abhay Kapoor of Kkusum who has had the record number of marriages on TV, will be heartbroken if he gets to know that people in the television industry are allegedly gossiping about his sexuality. They say his ex-wife has been telling people the reason behind their divorce is Anuj’s sexual preferences!

Well, if coming from his ex wife, then one should take it with a bag of salt because their separation has been very ugly with nasty accusations. Anuj shouldn’t really feel bad because he still has women, especially his Kumkum co-star Juhi Parmar and Kkusum co-star Narayani Shastri who are still crazy about him. Who cares about gossip mongers.

Abhishek for KBC-2 till Amitabh recovers?

Though Amitabh Bachchan is recovering well, doctors have advised he slows down on the work front. It may take a while till he gets completely fit and report back for shootings. Sources at Star Plus say the channel was seriously considering Abhishek Bachchan to cover up for his dad. Rumours are that after several discussions, just about everyone at Star felt only Abhishek has the same charisma as his dad and his replacement will go down very well with the viewers. Watch this space for other developments.

Cezanne doesn’t react to Shweta

Shweta Tiwari’s (Prerna of Kasautii Zindagi Kay) anger towards her co-star Cezanne Khan (Anurag Basu) seems to be growing by the day. The actress used foul language while talking about him in a magazine. But while she comes across as a broken gramophone record harping on about the same subject again and again — “How dare he says we had an affair” — Cezanne comes out looking like the dignified matured gentleman.  Unlike many who wash their dirty linen in public, when you call up Cezanne, he says, “I am really sorry, don’t mean to be rude but I am not talking to the press to clarify.”

By saying this he is being polite and also conveying to Tiwari that he doesn’t have to justify himself on her account. No wonder she is getting so angry. After all no reaction is the best reaction.

Ghar Ek Mandir hero returns to television

Ram Kapoor, best remembered for his role in Balaji Telefilms’ Ghar Ek Mandir will soon be seen in another Balaji show Kasamh Se. The show was earlier supposed to have Mohnish Behl in the lead but with Mohnish being busy with Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Ram is all set to play the lead role. Ram was also seen in movies like Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi, Monsoon Wedding and Missed Call. According to sources, Kasamh Se is about three sisters and their life. All three sisters have a different outlook towards life and its problems and the show is apparently inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women. Mohnish Behl will have a small role in the show instead of the lead role.

Zarina enters Sahara One thriller Kohinoor

Zarina Wahab, yesteryears’ film actress and wife of actor Aditya Panscholi, has made a grand entry into Sahara One’s thriller Kohinoor. She is playing the role of Iravati, the main protagonist’s mother. Zarina, who is also seen in Zee TV’s Tumhari Disha as Disha’s (Chavi Mittal) mother will have an important role to play in this suspense thriller. Her role will be shown in flashbacks and she will play a blind woman who actually knows where the kohinoor is.

There’s something very attractive about bad boys on TV. The audience simply loves them. Whether it was Ansh in Kyuni Ki… or Sasha in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and now Swayam in Kahiin To Hoga, their popularity is soaring. Vikas Sethi proved his mettle in Kyun Hota Hai Pyarr, but his role as the scheming Swayam in Kahiin To Hoga has made him a rage among the youngsters. In a chat with JAYA BISWAS, he tells her what a high the role of Swayam has given him.  

Vikas Sethi aka Swayam Shergill is now a household name and he couldn’t be more buoyant about it. “Frankly, I don’t know where I’d have gone next if it wasn’t for Kahiin To Hoga,” says a candid Vikas, who is shooting non-stop for more than 14 hours a day. Playing Swayam in Kahiin To Hoga has become a second life for him. “I just love it. The character has so many shades to it. Agreed, the audience might find it grey at times, but Swayam is justified in whatever he does because he’s trying to seek revenge for his mother,” sighs Vikas who has gradually trickled his way in yet another Ekta soap, K. Street Pali Hill.

Is it a case of identity crisis, as you have to shoot for two different roles almost every day?
“Not really. It’s more like finally finding my identity. My characters in K. Street Pali Hill and Kahiin To Hoga are as different as chalk and cheese. It does require a little bit of preparation before taking the shots but at the end of the day, I enjoy doing both shows,” states Vikas, who if one remembers correctly, tried his luck on the big screen too.

“Before Ekta gave me K. Street Pali Hill, I was struggling to make my presence felt in the industry. I had a tough time meeting the producers,” reminisces Vikas, who made a blink-and-you-miss appearance as Kareena Kapoor’s prom-date Robbie, in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham . “I believe the same role had been offered to John Abraham,” grins Vikas, whose film stint also includes Deepak Tijori’s Oops.

But he is still hopeful about the big screen. “With so many renowned actors joining television, I won’t say the medium is any less popular. But movies are different — both in terms of glamour quotient and mass appeal. You can’t compare it with the success on the small screen. The attraction of the celluloid is undeniable,” comments Vikas.

But Vikas isn’t willing to trade his new success with old throwaway offers in movies. He’s very particular about the role. “Be it television or films, I’ll wait for the right kind of roles now. Besides, where’s the time? I get paid decently and my roles are interesting,” he says.